2. Academic Validation
  3. Mogroside V Ameliorates Spinal Cord Injury by Inhibiting M1 Microglia Polarization

Mogroside V Ameliorates Spinal Cord Injury by Inhibiting M1 Microglia Polarization

  • Mol Neurobiol. 2025 Nov 26;63(1):181. doi: 10.1007/s12035-025-05331-4.
Xinzhou Xie # 1 2,  Junfeng Zhang # 3 4,  Zhihong Liu 4,  Cunxin Zhang 1 2,  Jiaying Li 5,  Yuqi Yang 5,  Hui Zhang 3 4,  Fenglian Yan 4 5,  Chunxia Li 4 5,  Huabao Xiong 6 7,  Chaoliang Lv 8 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Spine Surgery, Jining No.1 People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, 272011, China.
  • 2 Shandong Provincial Key Medical and Health Laboratory of Neuroinjury and Repair, Jining, 272011, China.
  • 3 Key Laboratory of Cell and Biomedical Technology of Shandong Province, Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, Shandong, China.
  • 4 Jining Key Laboratory of Immunology, Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, China.
  • 5 Institute of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, China.
  • 6 Key Laboratory of Cell and Biomedical Technology of Shandong Province, Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, Shandong, China. [email protected].
  • 7 Jining Key Laboratory of Immunology, Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, China. [email protected].
  • 8 Department of Spine Surgery, Jining No.1 People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jining, 272011, China. [email protected].
  • 9 Shandong Provincial Key Medical and Health Laboratory of Neuroinjury and Repair, Jining, 272011, China. [email protected].
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 41296106 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-025-05331-4
Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) constitutes a severe disorder of the central nervous system that is usually caused by external traumatic forces that damage the spinal cord's structure and disrupt its normal functions. SCI is characterized by a high disability rate and limited treatment options. The current treatments include surgery, medication, and rehabilitation. Additionally, some traditional Chinese medicines and their ingredients have shown potential effects in the treatment of SCI. Mogroside-V (Mog-V), derived from Siraitia grosvenorii, displays a range of biological functions, such as anti-inflammatory effects, antitumor actions, and antioxidant potential. However, the effect and fundamental mechanism of Mog-V on SCI remain unclear. In this study, we established a spinal cord contusion model in C57BL/6 mice to evaluate the effects of Mog-V. The results revealed that Mog-V effectively improved lower limb motor function after SCI in mice. Mog-V inhibited pro-inflammatory macrophage/microglia polarization in vivo and reduced the secretion levels of macrophage/microglia-associated pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-12, IL-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Mog-V effectively inhibited M1 microglial polarization and the release of their associated pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro. Mog-V also inhibited the phosphorylation of P65, P38, JNK, and ERK proteins in vitro and P38, JNK, and ERK proteins in vivo. Overall, Mog-V may improve SCI by inhibiting M1 microglia/pro-inflammatory macrophage polarization and reducing the release of inflammatory cytokines via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and NF-κB signaling pathways, highlighting the potential use of Mog-V for SCI treatment.

Keywords

MAPK signaling pathway; Microglia polarization; Mogroside V; NF-κB signaling pathway; Neuroinflammation; Spinal cord injury.

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